Resilient fastener for rigid ventilated awnings



May 26, 1953 D. J. FREEMAN 2,639,477

RESILIENT FASTENER FOR RIGID VENTILATED AWNINGS Original Filed June 13, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./

Dewey J. Freeman INVENTOR.

BY FWW-Q- y 1953 D. J. FREEMAN 2,539,477

RESILIENT FASTENER FOR RIGID VENTILATED AWNINGS Original Filed June 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dewey J. Freeman IN! 'ENTOR.

Patented May 26, 1953 RESILIENT FASTENER FOR RIGID VENTILATED AWNINGS Dewey J. Freeman, Houma, La., assignor of eighty-five per cent to Lionel Babin and fifteen per cent to Dudley Melancon, both of Houma,

Original application June 13, 1946, Serial No.

Divided and this application November 24, 1950, Serial No. 197,426

11 Claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a resilient fastener for rig-id ventilated awnings and consitutes a division of my co-pending application Serial Number 676,457, filed June 13, 1946, for Rigid Type Sheet Material Awning and which has now matured to Patent Number 2,542,919, issued February 20, 1951.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved fastener for resiliently supporting the upper ends of rigid ventilated awnings from a vertical supporting surface, mounted simultaneously assisting in securing in proper spaced position the components of the awning and in reenforcing and rendering more rigid the construction of the upper portion of an awning.

More specifically, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a resilient fastener for securing to each other and to a vertical supporting surface the upper ends of two sets of panels of a sectional rigid, ventilated awning of the types set forth in my above identified co-pending application.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a resilient fastener which will releasably and yieldingly maintain the upper ends of the two sets of panels comprising the awning in properly spaced relation with respect to each other; will individually secure these sets of panels to a vertical supporting surface in properly spaced relation; and will serve to reenforce and rigidify the upper end of an awning composed of two sets of panels.

An additional important object of the invention is to provide a resilient fastener in conformity with the preceding objects in which the actual fastening engagement of the device with the awning panels shall be concealed and protected against inclemency of weather and the like, the ingress of dirt.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a resilient fastener construction for rigid 1 ventilating awnings of the type having two sets of panels in which the fastening engagement with the panels is maintained in an efficiently operating and easily releasable condition throughout the life of the device; and wherein the individual panels of the two sets of panels may be selectively and individually engaged or detached from the resilient fastener by a longitudinal, inward movement of the panels.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated, by

way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a rigid ventilated metal awning composed of a plurality of panels and of the type in which the present invention is to be employed;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of Figure 1 and illustrating the manner in which the panels of the awning are attached to the resilient fastener and by the latter to a vertical supporting surface;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the resilient fastener in accordance with this invention; and

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary perspective views of the upper and associated ends of upper and lower panels which are adapted to be resiliently secured by the resilient fastener of this invention.

The resilient fastener, according to the prin-- ciples of this invention, while not limited thereto, is especially useful in securing the upper ends of upper and lower sets of inclined panels of awnings of the type set forth in my co-pending application.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that the numeral Iii designates any suitable form of rigid ventilated awning and preferably of the type comprising an upper set of panels [2 which overlie in spaced relation a lower set of similar but inverted panels l i.

As it will become apparent from Figures 2, 4 and 5, each of these panels, of both sets, consist of a member of sheet metal or other sheet material providing elongated bottom walls l6, a pair of marginal side walls i8, these latter having at their free ends, inturned lateral flanges 20 which thus overlie the bottom walls It. The members I2 and [4 thus constitute channel members and at one end of the same the bottom walls 16 are provided with a transversely extending raised rib or ridge 22 which may be formed by suitably bending the end portion of the bottom wall. However, it is preferred to form this rib 22 on the top panel ill by bending the same inwardly or between the side walls 18, or the corresponding rib 24 on the bottom panel I4 is preferably formed by bending this rib outwardly with respect to the side walls.

At their corresponding ends, the side walls N3 of the top panel [2 are provided with longitudinally extending notches 26, and similar notches 3 28 are provided in the side walls of the bottom panel.

These notches and ribs constitutes means as set forth. hereinafter to resiliently support the panels and secure the upper ends of the same in properly spaced relation.

As shown best in Figures 2 and 3, the awning i is supported at its upper end from a vertical supporting surface such as a wall or the like itself to provide a. flat. bottom wall or face 34 having apertures 35 by means of which the same may be secured to the supporting surface, toetherwith. inc. led u o 'ter and lower portions 38 and 40. When mounted, suitable sealing material indicated at 42 may be disposed between the supportingv surface 39 and the upwardly extend-- ing inclined portion 38.

From its upper edge, the material of the-upper inclinedportion til-is downturned asat tie into 5 parallel relation with. the downwardly inclined portion iil. The portions 34, 33, 18 and ti thus constitute a channel member, and the, top and bottom walls M and 49 thereof support resilient clips or fasteners for securing the two sets of panels I2 and i l.

The; upper fastening means for securing the upper-panels and within, the channel member is formed by providing aninturned portion of maderlies the portion 44, andis then bent backwardly. upon itself to provide a flat portion 58 and a. bowed portion 52 whose lower end is inturned as at 54. The natural resiliency of this material, is such that the end 54, bowed portion 52 and the portion 59 are yieldingly biased or urgedtowards the fold or sheet 48 of the mate rial, whereby the bottom walls [6 of the top panel 12' maybe thrusted inward andupwardly as shownin Figure 2. When so positionedthe extreme end of the bottom wall l5 will bereceived betweenthe portions 48 and 50 and abutted againstthe curved part. connecting these portions, while the transverseribZZ will .be received within the bowed portion 52 and the inturned portion54 will constitute alock or stop shoulder which engages the lower side of the rib 22 to hold the same in place. It will thus. be. apparent that the top panel is resiliently, releasably but. securely clamped and frictionally held in placeand supported by the top wall 44 of the channel member, the transversely disposed portions 56, 52, and 54 being received in the notch or. slotZB in the side walls l8. of this panel.

Thelower panel 84 is releasably, resiliently and frictionally clamped and held in position in a similar manner. Thus, the portion 40 is folded downwardly and backwardly upon itself to provideaportion 56 which in turn is then folded downwardly and upon itself to provide a flat portion 58, a bowed portion 68 and an inturned end portion 62 similar to the members 50, 52' and 54. The depending rib 24 of the bottom walls 16 of the bottom panel 14 is thus clamped and held in place in the lower fastening means of iii) the same manner as that previously described with respect to the upper fastening means.

Thus, the support member has the clips disposed between the inclined upper and lower surfaces of the, support member, the surfaces being the top surface of the top wall 44 and the bottom surface of the member 60.

It will be here noted that the construction above described permits the easy insertion of anyv individual panel or its easy removal from the fastening means by an inward sliding movement of the panel without disturbing the other panels. of the awning. Further, the connection is such that a panel can readily be shifted laterally or transversely of the support member with the ribs 22 or 24 riding upon the upper edges of the stop portions 54 or 62, while the ribs are retained in the fastening means.

The above described construction very materially facilitates the erection of a panel or sectional type of awning even in very inconvenient locations such as upon the wind swept side of, a building from the top of a ladder, since it is nearly necessary to anchor or secure the support or channel member, then position the, rest of, the supporting framework of the awning, not shown, but which may be of the types set forth in my co-pending application, and thereupon successively apply the upper and lower panels by an inward sliding movement.

It should be particularly noted that the connection of the panels with the supporting member is well sheltered and protected by being disposedvv within the interior of the same and in a position which prevents deterioration of the fastening means and its releasable engagement under the adverse influences of the weather andthe like; whereby the panels will be individually securely retained, and easily assembled or disasterial as at 48 which lies against, within and unsembled as desired- The deterioration of the fastening means in similar types of awnings, es-

pecially where these fasteners consist of rivets or bolts, by virture of their weathering, has beena very great source of dissatisfaction as regards to ease of applying and disassembling awnings of this type.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A resilient fastener for awnings of the typehaving upper and lower sets of panels, comprisinga horizontally disposed support member having inclined top and bottom surfaces and inclined top and bottom walls therebetween, resilient clips within said support member between said top and bottom surfaces for securing each of said upper and lower sets of panels to the lower surface of one of said walls.

2. A rigid ventilated awning including a horizontally extending support member adaptedto be mounted upon a supporting surface, said support member having upper and lower fasteners, upper and lower sets of panels adapted for attachment to said support member, means to releasably retain the ends of said sets of panels in saidv upper and lower fasteners.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support member has the resilient clips supported by the top and bottom walls.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support member has the resilient clips supported by the top and bottom walls, and integral therewith.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said top wall has an inturned underlying portion and a downturned portion resiliently biased there against, said underlying and downturned portions together constituting one of said resilient clips.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bottom wall has an underlying portion and a downturned portion resiliently biased thereagainst, said portions together constituting one of said resilient clips.

'7. The combination of claim 2 wherein each of said fasteners comprises a pair of transversely extending members resiliently biased towards each other, said panels having their ends frictionally retained in said pair of members.

18. The combination of claim 2 wherein each of said fasteners comprises a pair of transversely extending members resiliently biased towards each other, said panels having their ends frictionally retained in said pair of members, said panels having transverse ribs disposed between said members, one member of each pair having a retaining means for holding said rib between said members.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said panels have side walls with notches in their ends for receiving said members.

10. The combination of claim 2 wherein each of said fasteners comprises a pair of transversely extending members resiliently biased towards each other, said panels having their ends frictionally retained in said pair of members, said panels having transverse ribs disposed between said members, one member of each pair having a retaining means for holding said rib between said members, said support members enclosing the upper ends of said panels.

'11. In a rigid sheet metal awning, a horizontally extending support member having spaced top and bottom walls, an awning roof including upper and lower panels, a pair of fasteners on said support member and positioned each beneath one of said walls, said panels being each secured to one of said fasteners.

DEWEY J. FREEMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,196,133 Moister Aug. 29, 1916 1,956,850 Bishop May 1, 1934 2,474,011 Overly June 21, 1949 2.539,705 Simonton Jan. 30, 1951 2,549,201 Hunter Apr. 1'7, 1951 

